Rotary programming switch



March 3, 1964 T. R. BYL 3,123,682

ROTARY PROGRAMMING SWITCH Filed Feb. 15, 1961 w W H,

Theodore R. B g1 IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent 3,123,682; RGTARY PRGGRAMMHN G SlVlTsCH Theodore Byl, (lswego, Greg, assignor to Code-A- Phone Electronics, Ina, Portland, Greg, a corporation of @regon Filed l eb. l5, 196i, No. 89,396 1 Clain (U. Nil-$8) This invention relates to electric switches, and more particularly to multiple contact switch assemblies for programming the sequential operation of a plurality of electric circuits.

it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a rotary programming switch of extremely simplified construction for economical manufacture.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of a rotary programming switch of compact construction, thus permitting its installation in a minimum of space.

A further important object of this invention is the provision of a rotary programming switch in which the switch actuating elements are self-aligning, thus reducing assembly time to a minimum.

A still further important object of this invention is the provision of a rotary programming switch construction which accommodates with speed and facility the assembly of any number of switch contacts desired.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a rotary programming switch embodying the features of this invention;

PEG. 2 is a fragmentary view in side elevation as viewed from the bottom in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in HG. 2.

in the drawing the switch assembly includes a mounting plate lb which supports the housing 12; of a synchronous electric motor, the housing being secured to the mounting plate by such means as the bolts id. The rotary output shaft 16 of the motor projects through an opening in the mounting plate, and supports an elongate; splined sleeve 1%. The unsplined projecting end 2% of the sleeve is reduced in diameter, and extends through a Teflon or other suitable bearing 22 mounted in an opening in the end plate 24. A hollow boss 2-6 is received onto the projecting end of the sleeve, for sliding engagement with tie outer side of the end plate, and this boss carries a set screw 28 in a radial tapped opening therein. By tightening the set screw the thin wall of the projecting sleeve end Ed is forced radially inward into firm frictional contact with the output shaft 16, thus firmly securing the splined sleeve thereto.

Mounted slidably upon the splined sleeve are a plurality of cam discs 36? of plastic or other suitable electrically non-conductive material. Each of the discs is provided with a central spline-shaped opening, corresponding to the cross sectional shape of the splined sleeve 15. Thus, the cam discs are free to slide along the splinecl sleeve but are secured for rotation therewith. in the embodiment illustrated, each cam disc is provided with an arcuate slot 32 the function of which is described more fully hereinafter.

Associated with each cam disc fill is a pair of resilient, electrically conductive switch contact arms 34, each carrying a switch contact 36 adjacent one end thereof. The contact arms of each pair are disposed on opposite sides of the associated cam disc 36, and extend across and beyond the latter to intersect the circumference of the disc, as a chord. Each pair of arms thus confines a cam mem- CTl 3,123,632 Patented Mar. 3, 1964 Ice her between them, maintaining the cam member aligned therewith. The arms are separated electrically at their ends opposite the contacts as by means of the electricall non-conductive spacer block 33. A plurality of these pairs of contact arms are stacked one upon the other, and the several pairs are separated electrically by means of the spacer blocks 49. The contact arms at the opposite ends of the stack also are separated electrically from the mounting plate ll) and end plate 24 by the electrically non-conductive spacer blocks 42. This assembly is secured between the mounting plate and end plate by means or" the elongated screws 4-4 which extend freely through openings in the mounting plate and are secured in tapped openings in the end plate. Electrically non-conductive sleeves 46 extend through ali ned openings in the insulating blocks and contact arms and surround the securing screws to isolate the latter electrically from the contact arms.

in the embodiment illustrated in the drawing, there is shown two laterally spaced stacks of contact pairs, disposed on diammetrically opposite sides of the splined sleeve 18. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, there are provided six cam discs associated with two stacks of contact pairs, with three pairs in each stack. This arrangement affords maximum compactness of construction, reducing the size of the switch assembly to a minimum.

it will be apparent from the foregoing that the number of pairs of contacts may be varied over a considerable range simply by the assembly or" the desired number of cam discs and associated contact pairs and insulating blocks, utilizing appropriately dimensioned securing screws and splined sleeve.

Each of the cam discs is provided with an arcuate slot 32 arranged to register with a lateral projection 48 on at least one, and preferably both, of the contact arms 34 of the pair associated therewith. Thus, as the cam disc is rotated, the projection 48 on the contact arm rides upon the unslotted surface of the cam disc to force the pair of contacts as apart, and then drops into the arcuate slot 32;

#hen in registry therewith to draw the pair of contacts toget ler. in this regard it is to be noted that the resilient arms 34% of each pair are so arranged as to be normally biased toward each other to permit closing of the contacts 36 which are positioned beyond the periphery of the cam disc.

It will be understood that a plurality of cam slots 32 may be arranged on a disc at different radii for association with correspondingly arranged contact arms, to provide for actuation of a plurality of contact pairs by a single cam disc. Additionally, the arcuate lengths and numbers of cam slots in each cam disc may be varied to provide the desired time sequence of opening and closing the associated pair of contacts. The relative circumferential positions of the arcuate slots in the several cam discs also may be varied, as desired. In the embodiment illustrated, the splined sleeve provides such variation in intervals of 30, and it will be understood that this may be changed by proper modification of the spline. The spline may be formed directly on the shaft in, and the spline shape may be replaced by any other non-circular cross sectional shape desired.

It will also be understood that the lateral projections 42; on the contact arms may be omitted and the cam slots 32 replaced with lateral projections arranged to engage the adjacent side surfaces of the associated contact arm. The arrangement illustrated is preferred for its simplicity and economy of construction.

The contact arms project beyond the insulating blocks sufficiently to accommodate attachment of electrical conductors. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, these projecting ends preferably are in the form of perforated terminal connectors 50, and the terminal connectors of an associated pair of contact arms preferably project angular- J3 ly in opposite directions to provide maximum spacing between them to insure against shorting and to facilitate the solder connection of electrical conductors.

The operation of the rotary programming switch of this invention is as follows: With each pair of contact arms 34 connected to an appropriate circuit which it is to control, the drive motor is energized to cause rotation of the output shaft 16. The plurality of cam discs 30 thus are rotated simultaneously, and by the prearranged positions and dimensions of the cam slots 32, the plurality of contact pairs are alternately closed and opened for predetermined intervals of time. Thus, the several electric circuits are energized and deenergized according to the prearranged program.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction described hereinbefore without departing from the spirit of this invention and the scope of the appended claim.

Having now described my invention and the manner in which it may be used, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A rotary programming switch, comprising an elongated driven shaft having a non-circular cross section, a plurality of flat, circular, electrically non-conductive cam members each having a central opening matching the non-circular cross section of the driven shaft, the cam members being mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith and for longitudinal sliding movement thereon, a plurality of pairs of elongated, resilient electrical contact arms arranged in a stack with electrically non-conductive spacers separating the arms from each other adjacent one end of said arms,

t means mounting the stack adjacent the cam members with each pair of said arms disposed parallel to and extending across and beyond a different one of said cam members on opposite sides of the latter and intersecting the circumferential plane thereof as a chord, whereby each cam member is retained in position on the shaft by confinement between intermediate portions of each associated pair of contact arms, an electrical contact on each arm on the side of the cam member remote from the spacers, each cam member having an arcuate cam slot disposed within its circumference, and cam follower means projecting from at least one arm of each pair of contact arms for registry with the associated cam slot for opening and closing the electrical contacts on the associated pair of arms as the cam member is rotated with the driven shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,495,020 Hall May 20, 1924 2,146,562 Cameron et al. Feb. 7, 1939 2,425,620 Kempton Aug. 12, 1947 2,745,369 Brown May 15, 1956 2,786,103 Bevins Mar. 19, 1957 2,816,969 Gallagher et a1 Dec. 17, 1957 2,858,388 Eastman Oct. 28, 1958 2,976,471 Harris Mar. 21, 1961 3,064,092 Holler Nov. 13, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 206,097 Australia May 19, 1955 267,199 Great Britain Mar. 3, 1927 

